


Remembrance

by lou2



Category: Bleach
Genre: Angsty Schmoop, F/M, Flash Forward, Flashbacks, Gen, Kid Fic, Sappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 03:45:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15088289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lou2/pseuds/lou2
Summary: Renji and Rukia's past in Inuzuri and a flash forward to some point in the futureIf you can't remember much of Rukia and Renji's manga backstory this is going to make very little sense as it relies heavily on that knowledge for such a short story.Originally posted to LJ in April 2008 moved here to save it





	Remembrance

**Author's Note:**

> I realize the Bleach manga has since concluded, so I can't comment on whether it could still fit inside canon or should be considered AU. 
> 
> This was written for a contest prompt, though for the life of me I can't remember what it was and can't figure out where I posted it back then.
> 
> I'm still oddly proud of this despite it being my very first foray into writing. I eventually joined a writers group online to get better, though I can't vouch for how much better it ever got.

The orphan children of Rukongai barely had enough water for everyone let alone enough to eat for those who needed it. Rukia constantly attempted to share her food with the others. It became a point of pride that Renji did the same. He couldn’t possibly have Rukia be the bigger man here. Still, none of the other children ever took any of the food, unless there really was plenty to go around; which of course was an extremely rare occurrence in this part of Inuzuri.

It was an amazing thing to see a bunch of kids sitting around a fire laughing and talking with only enough to eat for two, and yet not see envy, anger or need on any of the little faces left out of the meager feast. It was as if each little one inherently knew that to survive in this hostile, harsh environment they all needed to make certain sacrifices for each other.

It hadn’t always been this way. Once it had been dog eat dog. It had been every child for him or herself. It had been cruel and awful and few of the children survived the winters. Then came a tiny little girl named Rukia to shame them all. She showed them that by simply caring for each other and providing small kindnesses, not only could they live happier, but longer as well. 

Not one of the children knew where she came from, and she refused to answer whenever she was asked. It was as if she simply appeared one day to show them the way. Some secretly called her an angel, even though they had long ago stopped believing in such things.

Rukia never knew where the gifts came from. She suspected they were stolen, but for once she didn’t care. She refused to ask. They were cracked and mended and obviously well used. However, they had been so lovingly and carefully decorated she knew there would never come a time when she failed to cherish them. They weren’t both for her of course. One was obviously Renji’s, but he was never one to accept gifts so she accepted for them both.

Each plate had been carefully stained with colored muds, grasses and what she suspected were rotten or inedible berries. Rukia and Renji honored their friends’ kind gift by using them as often as possible. On the rare occasions when there was enough food for everyone, the laughter and happiness was especially bright. On those nights the plates were passed around amongst them all to share their bounty.

***  
As children they never knew why the hollows seemed to single their group out for pursuit. She still feels a little bit guilty for that. She had finally stopped blaming herself for all the injustice that happened around her, though. As she looked at those faded, cracked and unusable plates the family of her childhood had made for her, she realized it was time to move on.

“You still have them,” Renji whispers as his arms snake around her very large belly.

“Of course. They used to make me cry, you know," Rukia quietly admits.

“Yeah, I could hear you through those thin walls and I always wondered why you kept them if they made you so sad.”

“Memories. Mostly though, I kept them for penance. As a reminder of what I owed.”

“Rukia, you have to stop blaming yourself. We had no idea it was our reiatsu attracting the hollows that kept killing our friends.”

“Oh, I know," she states confidently.

“Then why the hell are you standing here crying over them again?”

“Because one day I will be able to take these off the wall and tell our children the story of who made them and where they came from. Then I’m going to give them to our babies to play with for as long as they last.”

“…”

“Heh, heh, heh. Oh Renji what a priceless look,” she says smiling brightly, tears still tracking down her face.

“Pft, whatever,” he replies with a scowl.

“I don’t need them to remind me of my family. I know I’ll never forget them. They’ll always be a part of me. Of us. But we’re starting a new family now and it’s time to move forward. Can you put them back up on the shelf for now, Renji?"

With great care Renji returned them to the shelf as Rukia gazed at them fondly.

"You know, even as faded as they are you can still see how much work and love went into them. They’ll make beautiful decorations for the babies to look at.”

Rukia sighed in contentment as Renji dried her tears. Then he leaned down and softly kissed her belly and promptly got kicked in the face for his trouble. Their laughter followed them through the house.

**Author's Note:**

> If you read this and liked it, a kudos would be appreciated. Comments are wonderful, but completely unnecessary.


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